Two weeks after meeting in the regular season, the No. 8 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team and No. 10 St. Cloud State University will meet in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinals this weekend at AMSOIL Arena. The best-of-three series will get underway Friday at 4:00 p.m., and against Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Sunday's game-time, if needed, is set for 3:00 p.m.

 

All-Time Record: UMD leads 83-15-10

Last Meeting:  Feb. 17, 2024 (0-0 Tie, Home)

Last Series: Feb. 16-17 (Win, OT Tie, Home)

First Meeting: Nov. 4, 1999 (10-0 Win, Away)

Last Season: 5-0-1 

Record this Year: 2-1-1

Last 10 Meetings: 7-1-2

UMD IN THE WCHA POSTSEASON: 

UMD is 47-26 in all WCHA postseason games and a dominant 34-10 in WCHA quarterfinal skates.

WCHA Quarterfinal games -- 34-10

WCHA Semifinal games -- 8-11

WCHA Third Place games -- 2-0

WCHA Championship games -- 5-3

In all, UMD owns five WCHA playoff crowns (2010, 2008, 2003, 2001, 2000).

Since the WCHA went to a quarterfinal game (2005) or series (since 2006), UMD has advanced 15-out-of-17 times.  From the 2005-06 season until present, the Bulldogs have hosted 14 of a possible 16 first round playoff series.  (The 2005 quarterfinal game was held in Minneapolis, Minn., a neutral site, and there was no WCHA first round playoffs held during the COVID season of 2020-21.)

 

THE SERIES:  

THE BULLDOG -- HUSKIES PLAYOFF HISTORY:  UMD and St. Cloud have met three times in the first round of the WCHA playoffs, including last season on Feb. 25-26 at AMSOIL Arena. That series was a sweep by the Bulldogs by scores of 1-0 and 5-1. Prior to last season, UMD and SCSU had not met in the postseason since Feb. 23-24, 2017 at AMSOIL Arena, a Bulldog sweep by scores of 5-0 and 6-2.  All-time, UMD is 7-1 in the WCHA playoffs and 6-1 in WCHA quarterfinal games against SCSU, having also played the Huskies on March 8, 2008 at the DECC in a WCHA Final Face-Off semifinal 9-0 blowout. 

In their quarterfinal clash last season, the Bulldogs defeated the Huskies 1-0 in game one behind a late third period power play goal from Maggie Flaherty. The play, which began from goaltender Emma Soderberg leaving the puck for Flaherty ended after the graduate senior defenseman skated end to end and sniped the game-winner at 17:26.  Soderberg, who had 23 saves in the game, picked up her first career assist on the goal.

Game two was a 5-1 blowout for the Bulldogs on Saturday, propelled by a three-goal second period. The UMD was led by Naomi Rogge's two goals and Kylie Hanley's game-high three points (1g, 2a), and extended their current unbeaten streak to an impressive eight games in the process.

Hanley, Mary Kate O'Brien and Taylor Anderson all contributed goals in the second period before Rogge bookended the scoring with an empty-net goal at 17:51 of the third. Soderberg made 23 saves in the game.

UMD-ST. CLOUD STATE POSTSEASON HIGHLIGHT: The two sides have met just once in the second round of the WCHA postseason, a semifinal match-up that came on March 8, 2008 at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center  held WCHA Tournament. The Bulldogs routed the Huskies in what still stands as the most goals scored by a UMD squad in all postseason action 9-0. The Bulldogs had nine players post two or more points and five post three. Haley Irwin (2g, 1a) and Elin Holmov (2g) each had two tallies for UMD, while goaltender Kim Martin and Johanna Ellison combined for teams 10th shutout of the season. (The Bulldogs would go on to add an 11th shutout in the NCAA title game against Wisconsin two weeks later.)

A BULLDOG AND HUSKIES REGULAR SEASON SERIES BREAKDOWN: UMD is 83-15-10 all-time against the Huskies, and finished the regular season 2-1-1 vs SCSU. The Bulldogs are 7-1-2 against the Huskies in their last 10 meetings.

Interestingly, while the Bulldogs got the best of the Huskies in the regular seaon, SCSU actually outscored UMD over the regular season for the first time in either program's history. However, that includes two empty net goals the Huskies scored back on Dec. 9 -- with goaltenders in the net, both sides put up four goals and in fact it was the Bulldogs who shutout St. Cloud St. twice in their last meeting just two weeks ago.

--Two of the four games they played over the regular season went to overtime, with UMD 1-0-1 in those two games. The Bulldogs leading scorers this season against SCSU were three players with two points apiece -- two of them defenseman. Reece Hunt, Nina Jobst-Smith and Tova Henderson each had a goal and an assist in four skates.

--The Huskies outshot the Bulldogs overall this season 145-122, but UMD held St. Cloud State scoreless in 13 power play attempts over the four games, while UMD went 2-of-8.

In their meeting two weeks ago back on Feb. 16-17, the Bulldogs clinched home WCHA playoff ice after taking four points from the Huskies with a 1-0 win Friday before settling for a 0-0 overtime tie Saturday afternoon. 

On Friday afternoon at AMSOIL, senior goaltender Clara Van Wieren finished off a feed from Olivia Wallin for the game-winner at 4:33 of the third period to take down the Huskes. Hailey MacLeod did the rest, making 39 saves to perserve her fifth shutout of the season. 

Saturday, the two sides played to an overtime stalemate before SCSU took the shootout 3-2. Ève Gascon made 39 stops, including on a penalty shot at 3:53 of overtime to preserve the tie.

UMD vs. St. Cloud State - (7-1)

WCHA Postseason History

Feb. 25, 2023 5-1 Win Home

Feb. 24, 2023 1-0 Win Home

Feb. 24, 2017 6-2 Win Home

Feb. 23, 2017 5-0 Win Home 

March 8, 2008 9-0 Win Home (DECC)*

Feb. 25, 2007 5-1 Win Home (Mars)

Feb. 24, 2007 1-3 Loss Home (Mars)

Feb. 23, 2007 4-3 Win Home (Mars)

*WCHA Tournament semifinals

83-15-10 All-Time

(Last 10 games)

Feb. 17, 2024 0-0 OT Tie Home

Feb. 16, 2024 1-0 Win Home

Dec. 9, 2023 1-5 Lost Away

Dec. 8, 2023 2-1 Win OT Away

Feb. 25, 2023 5-1 Win Home*

Feb. 24, 2023 1-0 Win Home*

Feb. 11, 2023 2-0 Win Home

Feb. 10, 2023 1-1 Tie Home (SW)

Nov. 12, 2022 5-1 Win Away

Nov. 11, 2022 2-0 Win Away

*WCHA Quarterfinals
 

MCMAHON REWRITES THE RECORD BOOK (AGAIN): Two weeks after graduate senior Mannon McMahon took over the career consecutive games played record at UMD, the center is about to set another record.

McMahon is currently tied with Naomi Rogge for the most games played by a Bulldog -- 168. Friday, McMahon will hit 169, making her the new record holder one season after Naomi Rogge set the mark.

 

MACLEOD ATOP THE NCAA: Sophomore goaltender Hailey MacLeod   sits atop the NCAA with a .958 saves percentage, and currently ranks third with a 1.12 GAA. 

MacLeod isn't the only UMD netminder with high marks in the NCAA -- freshman goaltender Ève Gascon ranks fifth with a .948 saves percentage, and 13th with a GAA of 1.60.

Together the pair, who have five shutouts each, have now put UMD third in the NCAA and tied for first in the WCHA with 10 total shutouts.

MACLEOD NAMED WCHA GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH FOR  FEBRUARY: UMD women's hockey sophomore goaltender Hailey MacLeod will cap arguably the most impressive month of her career with the WCHA's Goaltender of the Month for February. 

MacLeod led the WCHA with a league-low 0.49 goals against average and just two goals allowed in 106 shots faced. While the Abbotsford, B.C. product ranks third in the NCAA with a 1.12 GAA, she posted a .981 saves percentage in February and currently leads the NCAA with a .958. Undefeated in the month, MacLeod also posted two shutouts in four games and now has five over the season.

With a record this season of 10-4-3, MacLeod has now twice been the league's Goaltender of the Week, and has been the WCHA's Player of the Week two times.